Maybe I Love You
by Renkhal
Summary: Post-Carnival. It's been a couple weeks, and Natsuki has thought about Shizuru's feelings and decided to give it a shot. What will she decide in the end?
1. Chapter 1

Natsuki was sprawled out in the garden when Shizuru approached.

"Can you believe I have to take summer courses?" Natsuki muttered, not really expecting anyone to answer.

"Perhaps if Natsuki had showed up to classes more often…" Shizuru teased before sitting next to the girl. "I would keep myself from graduating if that was what Natsuki wished of me. We could both retake a year of high school."

"That would look bad on your record and you know it, Shizuru. Choosing to stay back… What kind of idiot does that?" she joked, grinning at Shizuru, who smiled back. "It's been only a couple of weeks since the Carnival…"

"Has Natsuki made a decision?"

"I think… I'll give it a shot with you, Shizuru," Natsuk said after a few moments, sitting up to look the other girl in the eyes. "I don't know if my love is like yours, but for your sake I could at least try."

"I don't want Natsuki to force herself," Shizuru said, though her heart was fluttering happily.

"I told you before, Shizuru. I wanted to think about it, and I've thought about it. I think I want to give it a shot with you."

Shizuru smiled broadly, and hugged Natsuki. "I love you, Natsuki. And I'll continue to no matter what you decide in the end."

Natsuki smirked and pecked Shizuru on the lips in a short kiss, surprising the older girl before pulling out of the hug and standing, offering a hand to Shizuru, who took it and allowed herself to be pulled to her feet.

"You never cease to surprise me, Na-tsu-ki."

"Just you wait, Shizuru. I've got lots of plans for us," Natsuki said with an impish grin.

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><p><strong>Just a sneak peak at my brain. I'm thinking of prolonging my sequel a little longer to test out this post-Carnival story I had just thought of. Yes, I know this is short, but it is just a prologue of what could come if I get enough people to like it.<strong>

**Reviews! It's a writer's gold. :)**


	2. Chapter 2

A couple of days after the Carnival, Natsuki was looking at Shizuru and realized she was a very beautiful girl. Then she blushed just for thinking such a thing and caught Shizuru's attention.

"Ara, I wonder why Natsuki is blushing…" Shizuru teased.

"Because you're pretty," Natsuki blurted out. "I-I mean, you know, you're not bad looking. I just, uh, thought about it now. That's all."

It was the first time Natsuki had seen a blush on Shizuru's face, and at that moment Natsuki knew why Shizuru liked to make her blush; the light coloring on Shizuru's cheeks just made her look more alluring to Natsuki for some reason.

And that was when Natsuki realized she could have feelings for Shizuru.

That night in bed, Natsuki sat up thinking about it. She liked Shizuru, loved her even, as a friend. That much she knew. Shizuru had always been there for her no matter what, and despite her selfish reasons for it Shizuru never made it seem like it was about her, just about Natsuki. On the other hand, for Natsuki it had been all about her, and she realized that Shizuru still didn't mind.

"Shizuru gave up a lot for me," Natsuki told herself softly, "and I gave little in return. What kind of friend does that make me?"

She rolled onto her side and sighed. Natsuki didn't know what to think or feel right then. She decided that she'd discuss with herself more in the morning.

A week went by with Natsuki just observing her relationship with Shizuru. She noted every time Shizuru teased her and that she didn't really mind despite her proclamations making it seem otherwise. She noted the way Shizuru opened up around her with some things but put up her masks when it came to others. She began to really understand Shizuru more over the last week.

"I think… I like you, Shizuru, and not just as a friend," Natsuki blurted out all of a sudden, making Shizuru look up with hope and confusion in her eyes.

"Ara, are you all right, my Natsuki?" Shizuru asked softly, her masks up again.

"I'm gonna give it some thought Shizuru. But I am certain that I like you," Natsuki reiterated. "Just… wait a little more for me all right?"

Shizuru smiled. "I'll wait as long as you need me to."

Natsuki returned the smile and turned back to the lunch they were sharing, something that she'd taken advantage of Shizuru for in the past as well.

'That all changes now,' Natsuki told herself.

Natsuki started cooking lessons with Mai the next day, who didn't ask any questions even though she had so many in her mind with the strange request.

Shizuru was surprised when Natsuki told her that on Friday she'd take care of lunch, but didn't bother to tell Natsuki it was no problem for her to take care of it. The look of determination in the blunette's eyes told her it was not a good idea to deny her the ability to take care of lunch one day.

On Wednesday, Natsuki prepared herself for what she would tell Shizuru on Friday. It was that day, she decided, that would be the day they would first start dating. That is, if Shizuru agreed to date Natsuki.

By Thursday night, Natsuki was having her doubts. Not of her feelings; she decided she definitely had feelings for Shizuru it was just determining how strong they were or could be that was the issue now. No, her doubts were over the dinner she was trying to prepare that evening to practice for in the morning when she planned to be up extra early to prepare the lunch she would be feeding Shizuru. Of course, she could only do a simple bento, but that wouldn't matter to Shizuru once she found out that Natsuki did all this just to make her feel special. Even Natsuki wasn't that blind. She was sure that even if it tasted bland and had the texture of bark she knew that Shizuru would force herself to eat it if Natsuki prepared it.

Shaking her head, Natsuki focused on the task at hand.

Dinner didn't turn out half bad.

Friday was the day Natsuki lost it entirely. She woke up and groggily cooked the lunch, making it flawlessly even in her half-asleep mind. Then she showered and dressed before having part of what she made for breakfast and putting the rest of it in bento boxes for the lunch date.

Natsuki blushed at the thought of it being a date, and then shook it away. It was no different that any other lunch she and Shizuru had, just a little more special in the long run.

And soon enough, it came time for her to meet up with Shizuru.

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><p><strong>Okay, so it's only a page longer than the last chapter, but this one is merely a filler to explain what happened the weeks prior to chapter 1. The next chapters should be about this length or longer. I'm writing this one at work, so it may not get too long for each chapter, but I may get more than one chapter in a day. It's pretty dull here most days.<strong>

**Reviews please!**


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